Passing
by Singkatsu
Summary: In the silence that followed, Meryl remembered.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon: Magical Melody, the lovely CEOs of Marvelous Inc. do.

Head bobbing with the motion of her fingers, the little girl focused intently on delicate interlacing the Moondrop flowers in her lap, woven and bond together in ways that only those of that tender age are aware of. Bending the final piece in place, a small grin worked its way onto her face, pale under the bright light of the spring sun yet plumb with youth. A quiet hum rose into the air, adding to the soft breeze and chirps of the birds that made the peaceful atmosphere of the flowering clearing, causing little pigtails to sway slightly alongside the musical dalliance.

Holding her masterpiece up to the natural light of the world, the child admired the handiwork: its fluid complete form, its vibrancy and vivid color, its sense of life. A grin morphed into a close-lipped smile, her blond friend would love this, and she had little doubt of that. Tightening the stems of the flowers around one another so that they kept their circular form, the dark-haired girl experimentally pulled on the edges of it, wanting only that her gift be of the highest quality.

"I hope…Eve likes it…" she muttered to herself, words becoming lost among the gentle spring breeze much too quickly for her liking, as she was once again reminded of her own weak state. The sun did little to warm her features then, illuminating the field with its luminescence.

Letting the flower crown flow between her outstretched hands, she waited, unable to leave the clearing and find her way back. Her friend was coming; she had to come…right? She'd been here for so long now…someone had to know she was gone. The sun grew brighter for a moment, almost glaring at the landscape around her before darkening completely, suddenly bleaching the glade of all color. The fragile youth didn't seem entirely bothered by this development, changing her focus to the grass beneath her body while her hands played with the cluster beneath her fingertips. Her breaths became shallow and rapid, unsteady as the sky continued to darken, further bleaching the world of its array of colors.

"What's…happening?" She rasped, her body slumping forward.

Her gaze was redirected to the ripped blossoms that now lay on the edge of her weakened figure; her hands shook as they held them, too frail to even lift them up to eye-level.

She had only been here for a little while, so why was her body reacting so strangely…why did everything suddenly seem so wrong? A strong gust began to wind its way through the trees, mercilessly tearing at her braids and thin dress before pushing her completely onto her side, causing the jittering in her hands to travel throughout her whole form.

"Sister…Eve…where are you?"

Her gaze never leaves the crown of flowers, having fallen out of her lap and grasp to lay by her side, as she tries to concentrate and remember why she came to the meadow in the first place.

"A gift…something she…likes…make…happy…"

As the little girl begins to struggle with simple inhalation, her eyes notice what appears to be a golden beacon of light drift toward her from across the clearing. As it steadily draws nearer, it becomes more precise in shape, soft curves replacing the harsh glare of light, features becoming noticeable among the illumination with finally the light beginning to dim, finally resting as just a glimmer, a second skin, on the figure before her. Within the blink of an eye the world is right again; her two braids swaying in the gentle spring breeze as she sits upright with the crown in her hands, taking deep steady breaths. Knowing that the person she had been waiting for had finally arrived, she gazed up at her friend; smile uncharacteristically wide as she silently offered her gift. Seconds passed in silence and stillness, as two sets of eyes gazed with looks that seemed at complete odds with one another. Slowly, the smile on Meryl's face slipped until her lips rested in an almost sad frown, the flowers forgotten as she took in the appearance of the one before her. The figure's blond hair was disheveled, a lesser noticeable element in its ragged appearance. Red-rimmed, watery eyes looked on, both saddened and devastated by what lay before it, as their body trembled in what appeared to be silent anguish.

Her voice finally found purchase, bursting out of her throat in a meek utterance.

"Eve."

The blond waitress stumbled forward and Meryl thought she was going to go down to her level, a gesture done when she wanted to convey a personal message, in order to explain her absence. Certain of her actions, she lowered her line of sight, only to gasp as Eve continued her shaky gait and passed right through her, before falling unceremoniously to the ground right behind her suddenly still form.

"I'm so sorry sweetie,' Eve's voice cried out gentle, sad and pitiful. "I shouldn't have left the village that day, if I had known you were waiting…if I had known…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"

Turning slowly, the little girl caught sight of older friend placing her hand on a sharp slap of tombstone, her shoulders raked with the force of harsh sobs. As the flowers of her makeshift crown began to disappear, fading away like shadows put in direct sunlight, a cry of lamentation pierced the air, followed by another series of apologies.

In the silence that followed, Meryl remembered.


End file.
